


The Ego is a Fragile Machine

by TeenySweeney



Category: Detroit - Fandom, Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Connor & CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60 & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, Good Parent Hank Anderson, Insecure Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Other, Siblings, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 19:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17648873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeenySweeney/pseuds/TeenySweeney
Summary: Connor blows up at the other androids in the house over...nothing, really.Hank is not impressed.





	The Ego is a Fragile Machine

**Author's Note:**

> I'm doing this on my phone, so I lost all my formatting. I'm not doing the italics and stuff right now, it can wait. 
> 
> Enjoy and comment!

Connor seems the android equivalent of tired, and he's seemed strange for a couple of days. The other RK800 (Name: Kieran, Serial Code: #313 248 317-60) frowns, scans him (elevated stress levels), and throws a piece of popcorn at his head.

 

"How was work, deviant?"

 

Connor catches the popcorn and throws it back, but avoids eye contact.

 

"Fine. I made four arrests. Fowler seemed happy."

 

"I got four confessions - cool huh?" Nines (Name: Niall, Model: RK900, Serial Code: #313 248 317-87) pipes up.

 

Connor scoffs.

 

"Right, I get it, you're so much better than me. Very cool, RK900."

 

Nines looks taken aback, glancing at Kieran, a little crease forming between his eyebrows. Kieran rolls his eyes.

 

"I didn't say that, Connor..." Nines says softly, with a touch of humanity that even Connor could never replicate.

 

"You don't have to. I might just be your shitty prototype, but I can still make inferences from data."

 

"Hey, I'm an '800, too." Kieran interjects. "Are you done with this shit now?"

 

"I was only--"

 

Nines begins a second attempt at placating his predecessor, who interrupts him, turning his spite towards his doppelganger.

 

"Shut the fuck up, Kieran. Just because you're too machine to care."

 

"Hey! What the fuck!? Fuck you, asshole! I oughtta deck you for that!"

 

"Go on then, motherfucker!"

 

Connor stands, Kieran stands, both of them flickering red at the temple. They grab at each other, grappling more than really fighting. Nines sighs and opens his mouth, but Hank beats him to it from the doorway.

 

"HEY you plastic shits!"

 

The fight stops abruptly and they move away from each other, both sporting angry-guilty looks as Hank glances between them.

 

"What's wrong with you morons, huh? First I hear all this cussing each other out, then Sumo runs in whining and here you are beating the crap out of each other!"

 

Hank puts his hands on his hips and all three RK's look at each other. Silence.

 

"Well one of ya's gotta speak, for fucks sake!"

 

"Connor's being an asshole!" Kieran spits out at last.

 

Connor begins to protest, but Hank interrupts him.

 

"Hey! Shut the fuck up, Connor, I heard what you said to Kieran before all this."

 

"Oh, but you can't hear me when I ask you a fucking question!" Connor hisses.

 

Hank gets a look on his face that spells trouble and Nines winces. Time to play peacemaker.

 

"It was just a misunderstand--"

 

"Go to your room, Connor. Come out when you're done being a prick." Hank says seriously, then shouts, "GO!" when Connor begins to argue.

 

In a show of childish defiance, he uses the moment to push Kieran, sweeping his feet out so that he hits the floor. Nines immediately jumps up to help him up.

 

"CONNOR!" Hank is obviously furious.

 

Despite that, Connor mutters 'fuck you' over his shoulder, slamming his door when he gets to his room. Hank sighs and rubs his face tiredly.

 

"One of you wanna explain what the fuck just happened?"

 

"As I tried to say," Nines says measuredly, "It was just a misunderstanding."

 

"Or, like I said, Connor's an asshole." Kieran shrugs, jolting when Nines kicks his shoe.

 

"I think Connor just...has some insecurities to work out regarding the whole Cyberlife-planning-to-replace-him thing."

 

"I don't care what his reasons are, he doesn't get to act like that. Think you two can fuckin behave?" Hank raises his eyebrows.

 

Both androids nod.

 

"Thank you."

 

Hank returns to the kitchen to finish making dinner.

 

"Tell me he wasn't being an asshole, Nines."

 

"Shut up, Kieran." Nines sighs.

 

Kieran huffs back and they don't discuss it any further. Hank eventually brings dinner in, going to the bottom of the stairs to yell for Connor to come down. His refusal comes from behind a closed door.

 

"Go fuck yourself then, brat." Hank mutters, shaking his head and going to sit with the others.

 

"See? Asshole." Kieran says through a mouthful of potato, pointing up with his fork.

 

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

 

"Sorry." He says, still chewing.

 

Hank looks at him and shakes his head, flicking through TV channels, then glances at Niall.

 

"What's up, kid, why you pushin your food around?"

 

"I'm just kinda sad. I didn't realise Connor felt...overshadowed by me." Nines stabs moodily at some salmon and shoves it in his mouth.

 

Hank tuts. "Oh, ignore him. He's being a baby, he'll get over it."

 

Nines stares at the TV thoughtfully. "I'm still sad."

 

Hank smiles wryly. "He owes you both an apology. Talk to him once he cools down and it'll be fine."

 

Nines makes a noncommittal sound.

 

"He owes me more than an apology." Kieran mutters.

 

"I'll talk to him later."

 

They finish dinner in relative silence. Kieran washes up, Hank has a beer and they both go to bed. Nines curls up under a blanket and watches movies he's not really interested in until well past midnight. He doesn't miss the creak on the stairs or the alert across his visual field that RK800 313 248 217 317-51 has entered his peripheral vision, but he chooses not to acknowledge him. Now that a few hours have passed, there is a sense of frustration towards Connor alongside his hurt feelings.

 

"If I sit by you, are you gonna tell me to fuck off?" Connor asks gently from behind the sofa

 

"Probably not." Nines replies flatly, shrugging.

 

Connor sits down next to him, leaning against his side and offering him a bottle of a fizzy, thirium-based drink Hank had found at the store. A peace offering. Nines looks at it, sighs, and takes it.

 

"Why did you go off earlier? I was just pointing out a similarity in our days at work."

 

"I know, forget it. I was just being an asshole."

 

Nines sighs and throws his arm over Connor's shoulder, resting his fist on his chest.

 

"I really don't think I'm better than you."

 

"I don't want to discuss it, Niall."

 

"God, you sound just like Hank." Nines tuts and rolls his eyes. "You owe him and Kieran an apology, too."

 

"Yeah, I know." Connor sighs, picking at the label on his bottle.

 

Nines pats his chest comfortingly. Silence falls, and they shuffle around a little so they can both get under the blanket before returning to their original positions. Connor shifts a little, turning his face to rest against Nines' shoulder. He's getting comfortable enough to be there the rest of the night, Nines realises, and figures he'll be staying where he is, then. Hank would probably say that this isn't an apology - technically it isn't - but the warmth behind the behaviour is the same. Kieran wouldn't be so forgiving, but Nines is more than happy to put the whole argument behind him.


End file.
